The Hero
by Iglika
Summary: Zee&Ro story. This story is different than the others I wrote so far. And something unexpected will happen...
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own 'The Zeta Project'. I do not own any of its characters. It's just a fanfiic.

As English isn't my native language, I want to thank Antje for her editing help on this chapter.

The Hero

by Iglika

Chapter One

Was he a vid star?

Or he was a rock star?

I tried to see with the corner of my eyes if my big sister looked at him as well…

She didn't, but her grumpy expression, which she tried to cover with boredom, was clear enough for me that she actually was very angry that such a tough guy was already taken.

Yes, he was taken.

I let go a deep sigh and…

I carefully turned my head to look at him again.

I had never seen him before, but he really looked like a vid star.

I mean… his perfect profile, his stylish short black hair with cute forelock, his deep blue eyes…

He was dressed in a long deep-violet coat, dark grey pants and lilac T-shirt.

No matter how tough he was, he was taken for sure.

There was a blonde girl beside him.

His girlfriend.

She constantly leaned on him some way or another, she tried to sleep on his shoulder, she cuddled in him, wrapping her hand around his arm, but she changed her poses almost every ten minutes. She looked like someone who was so tired that she couldn't find a place to rest. I knew how it felt, but it was strange that he didn't look as tired as she was. Maybe because he was a man, and maybe because she was so thin and he was so strong…

And kind. He was just like the guys I loved – tall, big boy with broad shoulders and tender heart.

How did I know he had a tender heart? He was so gentle with her; he hugged her all the time, trying to make his hug as comfortable for her as possible. I was curious where they had caught the bus, because they hadn't any baggage. The girl even hadn't any jacket; she was dressed just in light blue jeans and black sleeveless blouse with white designs. Why they hadn't any baggage? That was a little bit strange and definitely stupid as they had no way of entertainment during the long journey. Although… I was so tired of listening to the music, of watching TV or disks, or even reading my holo-books. I had my laptop with me, but I was annoyed with the games I had.

And there was no way for me to watch the landscape outside as my sister did. She had used the fact that she was older than me to take the seat by the window.

Anyway.

I tried to forget that I was with her now.

I didn't like to talk to her too much. She was poor company. She didn't like to talk to me too much either. She was… or she wanted me to believe that she was smarter, more beautiful and more worthy than me to get the best things in life. As for me… I was just her stupid little sister, a boring teenager, who brought her troubles and nothing more.

Well, she was interesting indeed and beautiful. At least she had learned to use all kinds of make–up to create a really charming effect on her otherwise ordinary face. Her skin looked so tender, her long golden hair had sleek curls and her bright blue eyes looked really mysterious.

I was younger, that could be an advantage…

Yeah, right.

Happy sweet sixteen.

Our parents had just split up. Mom left and as we had never been too close with our father, he had packed and went to build his own life anew. My older sister had her own life as well and now she had to take me to my grandparents. A boring duty for my sister, a waste of her precious time.

It wasn't like she hated me, but she didn't love me either. So the fact that I wouldn't be able to see her very often didn't bother me too much.

I glanced at the couple beside me again. Now the blonde girl had leaned her head on her boyfriend's shoulder, trying to get some sleep again. He looked at the window, although outside was absolute darkness already. The glass reflected only their silhouettes, but he kept looking at the window; and, somehow thoughtfully, he caressed her head, slowly interweaving his fingers in her short blonde hair.

Probably it was very comfortable to doze under such tender caresses.

Did I envy her?

Of course I did.

I sighed.

I would never have such a handsome boyfriend. This girl was so beautiful…

I was blonde and blue-eyed just like her, but who would fall in love with an ordinary girl like me? I sighed again and I tried to lean toward my sister in order to look at the window.

She pushed me back. "Take your seat!"

"But I want to see where we are!" I protested.

"Don't you see? It's totally dark! Besides, you have a map too. The road is upon some rocks and a huge river now. Nothing interesting."

Yeah, right!

I crossed my arms and I looked at the couple beside me.

The blonde girl had turned her back toward the window, she was leaned her hands on her boyfriend's shoulder and her chin – on the back side of her palms. Both of them looked at each other straight in the eyes. She spoke something to him, and he listened to her so seriously, completely absorbed in her words.

The engine of the bus produced some dull sound, but it wasn't the only reason why I couldn't overhear what the girl said to him. She whispered intimately.

What had she talked to him? What had captured his attention like that? And what answer had he given her so quietly as well, smiling at her so kindly and so lovingly?

They stopped talking; now they just looked at each other, face to face.

Would they kiss? I bet they would! They weren't kissing the last hour, so it was about time for them to kiss again.

I knew it!

I sighed one more time.

Yes.

They kissed.

I couldn't be more envious than I was now.

The blonde girl huddled up in him again, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and she closed her eyes for another try at sleep.

Hmmm, as she would finally sleep, then she wouldn't mind if I steal her boyfriend for a while. In my dreams, of course.

I remembered when I was a kid and my family traveled with our car, I loved to look through the window and imagine that a knight spurred his magic black horse along with our car.

Now I'll imagine that that black-haired guy was my knight.

No.

I couldn't.

Something didn't feel right. Although I envied his girlfriend, I didn't hate her. The truth was that I wanted to be her friend, rather to make her angry and sad stealing her boyfriend. And most of all I doubted he could be stolen at all. He looked so hers! They both were so tied to each other, they looked so right together, as if she was born for him and as he couldn't be next to any other girl.

And I doubted he was a vid star or a rock star. Not only because I knew all the famous stars all around, but he was somehow different. He hadn't the victorious and obsessing look in his eyes as Adam Heat. He was peaceful, really kind, somehow understanding, and that made him even more attractive than any Adam Heat…

Suddenly the bus jolted. It hit the rocks and gave a lurch…

I screamed, lost among the other screams…

The blonde girl and her boyfriend exchanged a quick glance. He stood up and made his way toward the driver who looked unconscious. The blonde girl jumped to her feet. "Zee?"

A strange metal cable had slipped out of his wrist and it was plugged into the bus's computer. Zee turned toward the blonde girl and he answered, actually explaining to all of us what had happened. "The driver is faint. The bus was badly hit by the rocks. The control panel is damaged; I can't bring it back on the road. We'll fall in the river any second, but please don't panic! I'll help you all to escape safely!"

I knew it! I knew he was a hero!

Why wasn't I scared?

Why was I so sure we could rely on him?

The bus shook again. Obviously it had hit by the rocks a second time and…

The window right above the blonde girl's head cracked, breaking into pieces.

Zee yelled, "Ro!"

The bus flopped into the water and everything shook… We all screamed again in horror. A huge stream began to flow through the hole right behind Ro…

to be continued…

Please review!


	2. Chapter 2

5

Disclaimer: I do not own 'The Zeta Project'. I do not own any of its characters. It's just a fanfiic.

I own Annie's and her sister's characters.

As English isn't my native language, I want to thank Antje for her editing help on this chapter.

The Hero

by Iglika

Chapter Two

The people in the bus became panicked; some of them screamed that they couldn't swim; others murmured prayers and remained hopeful that death would stay away…

I sensed my sister squeeze my hand. "Oh, Annie, my dear, you can't swim!"

I looked at my sister. I had a different sister now. Not the proud one, but a loving older sister who cared for me even more than she cared for herself, as she couldn't swim as well.

The bus shook for third time, much stronger now and it seemed to reach the river floor.

Most of the people began screaming in horror again… a baby's crying came from the seat in front of me…

Zee carefully left the unconscious driver, then he approached the fore seat and he gently said to the mother, "Don't be afraid, everything will be okay." Then he addressed to all the people in the bus, "Please, listen to me! We aren't on the river's bottom! There's no water above us, just around us. Fortunately there are rocks in the river as well and the bus hit a rock and stuck on it. The balance is unstable, so please do not make jerky movements! I'll help you all to go out on the bus's roof and then I'll help you to cross the river and reach the bank. Just don't panic, please don't panic!"

One by one all the people silenced, relieved by Zee's firm but soft and warm voice. And I was sure their eyes were focused on him right now. I couldn't take my eyes off him either. His handsome face and tall, strong body along with his deep-toned voice radiated confidence that everything was under his control. He knew that it would happen exactly as he said – we would make it, we all would make it!

Even my sister squeezed my hand again, giving me an encouraging smile.

Ro still stood upright beside me without paying attention to the water, flowing through the hole behind her back. She looked at Zee. There was no sign, not even a shadow of fear on her face, as if… as if it wasn't the first time she saw her boyfriend save people. She trusted him. Her calmness made my belief in him stronger.

"Who do you think you are?" yelled a green-haired guy from the last seat of the bus. "Why should we believe you?"

"Shut up, twip!" I jumped on my feet and yelled back at him. "Do you have a better plan for escape? Then just shut up!"

Zee though answered quietly, "It doesn't matter who I am. We all have to get away from here. And I need your help. Someone has to help people reach me when I go to the roof to draw them up."

"Please, believe him! He's our only chance to go out from here and he's more than what you can see. Please trust him!" Ro urged the panicked crowd, "Any muscles would help now, please, come here and help him!"

Two men from the back approached Zee. He pulled out a laser gun from his coat and he made a big hole on the roof.

Zee had a gun?! Wow! What a tough guy indeed! The mystery around him was even bigger now!

He definitely wasn't a vid star.

Maybe he was some detective or police officer under cover, or federal agent on vacation?

He removed the cut part of the roof, then he took the edge of the hole and he went out, along the bus's roof. He kneeled on the edge and he reached out his hands. "C'mon now, women and kids first. Please help the mother with the baby to come."

Ro immediately went to the woman with the baby. The two men helped her. Holding her child, the mother was pulled up by Zee.

Then there had to be someone, who will take the unconsciousness driver to the roof… then… one by one people began to come and with the help of the two men, the first few passengers were pulled up by Zee's strong hands.

Ro wasn't in the queue; she helped too.

It was our turn. I felt my sister push me on the back. She wanted me to go out of here before her?! I was about to argue, but there was no time. She pushed me even harder and I stretched up my arms.

Some of the men held me by my waist to lift me, then Zee tugged me up as fast as he did it with the other people, but even in this short time I was able to sense how amazing his hands were, as his voice, they were firm, but gentle and kind.

The roof was wet and slippery and the river was over its banks, turbulent… and obviously deep…

I shivered.

If I suddenly fell down… I wasn't able to swim…

Zee drew up my sister.

He scanned for a second all the people on the roof - the unconsciousness driver, the mother with the baby, the other women… We all barely managed to keep our balance on the roof.

Zee bent over the hole again. Out-voicing the noise of the river, he said to the people inside the bus, "There's no more place on the roof. I have to help these people reach the bank. I'll be back for you!"

Then he turned toward us. "Please don't be scared of what you're about to see. I'm not dangerous, I just want to help you."

There was a hissing sound, some white-green light around him and…

His human appearance vanished, revealing the silver body of a robot!

He was a robot?!

This handsome guy was a robot?!

But he looked cool, even in his metal shape!

His long head looked like helmet and his white luminous eyes were a little bit cat-shaped, really charming!

Why be scared from him? He was a real knight; he was just as a knight with metal armour!

The coast above the magway was steep, vertical and rocky. Zee angled to the opposite bank, flatter, closer and… he extended his arms! Actually it looked like he threw his arms out, reaching a tree. His hands held the tree, some sharp nails like spurs drove into bus's roof and he stretched his body, becoming like a bridge for us!

We wanted the mother with the baby to be the first to pass the 'bridge', but she was so stressed, she was afraid if she would manage to creep over Zee, holding her baby.

Instead two women began creeping over the robot. The first one dragged the unconsciousness driver by his arms; the second one helped her, carrying him by the feet…

When they reached the bank, the mother with the baby made a step toward Zee, but in the same second…

"Where did he go? Why did he leave us? Who will help us now?!" yelled the green haired guy from inside. He ran toward the hole. The remaining passengers scuffled with him and we lost the unstable balance. The bus gave a lurch again and as Zee was caught with his feet on the bus's roof; his body was shaken as well.

Oh, no! The mother with the baby!

She was about to reach Zee but she slipped on the wet roof, she screamed… I tried to reach her but I couldn't…

With her crying baby and with a desperate cry, she tumbled to the turbulent waters…

I wanted to shout out, "Zee! The woman and the baby! Hurry!" but my cry stuck in my throat from horror…

Zee didn't need for someone to tell him what had happened. He let go of the tree immediately. His body went back to normal and he jumped in the river.

I had no idea how much time passed before Zee came to the rippling surface, maybe just a few seconds only, but the baby didn't cry. It was the woman who cried, "My baby… oh, my baby…"

Zee said nothing. He just held the woman with her baby, using only his feet to propel toward the bank. The two women with the unconscious driver waited. He reached the ground and placed the woman on the grass. Zee turned on a light from his silver chest in order to help the woman see her baby better. She was in a total panic, kneeled with her child in her arms, crying. The two women approached her, but they had no idea what to do. Zee said something to her I couldn't hear. The woman handed the baby to him. He very carefully took the child and even more carefully he turned it upside down…

"What he's doing?!" I asked my sister.

"That's amazing! He's doing exactly what he has to do! The little babies are like bottles, if you turn them up side down, they will vomit the fluid! That's how you save a drowning baby!"

My sister was really smart! She really knew everything!

The baby coughed and then wailed.

Something happened in the bus. The green haired guy screamed again. Men tried to calm him down. There was a tussle again. The bus shook even more this time and the slippery roof angled.

Zee jumped back in the river the moment the bus moved. People from the inside began to holler that the bus had taken on more water. For those of us on the roof it was difficult to balance, I slipped… and I slipped down, my feet touched the river's water… My sister grabbed my hand. She had managed to grip the edge of the hole, but she hadn't enough strength to keep me over the water…

"Help!" screamed my sister.

"Help us!" screamed the people inside the bus and the women and the girls on the roof… they fell in the water…

I tired to clutch my sister's hand, but my whole body was paralyzed with fear… I had no strength to hold my sister's hand anymore as I felt her hand slacken. The river grasped my legs… it came closer to devouring me…

"Annie!" yelled my sister the moment our hands no longer touched.

I fell in the river… The cold water cut my breath… I tried to keep myself on the top, moving wildly my arms and my legs, but I couldn't… I couldn't make it… I sank… The cold water filled my eyes, my nose, my month, my lungs… I had to breathe… I had to breathe… I was dying… I would drown… I would die…

to be continued…

Please review!


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own 'The Zeta Project'. I do not own any of its characters. It's just a fanfiic.

I own Annie's Carol's characters.

As English isn't my native language, I want to thank Antje for her editing help on this chapter.

The Hero

by Iglika

Chapter 3

Two hands grabbed me, firmly, but carefully, the next second I was over the surface, held by Zee and I could take my breath.

"Where is Carol? Where is my sister?" I cried.

"I'll find her!" he answered fast.

We were so close to the coast already. He squeezing me with his one hand only, he extended his arm, gently putting me on the ground, where the other girls and women were saved already, and I saw in the darkness how his silver body dived in the water again.

A few seconds later he swam toward us with my sister in his arms. She coughed and shivered, just like me. We both hugged, crying.

The bus shook for a second time, obviously because the green-haired guy had tried fighting again. The people inside began to scream – the bus was heeled over and began sinking…

Zee turned back and swam, as fast as he could, toward the bus. I saw how he dived again, then…the bus began to float toward the bank where we were!

Zee pushed the bus till it lay on the ground. Then Zee climbed up the roof and began to help people get out. They all shivered, being completely wet.

Ro was the last one from the women and the girls whom Zee freed. She didn't go to the coast though, she remained beside Zee. When he dragged up the last man, he entered the bus descending inside through the hole. He wanted to be sure that everyone was outside. Ro didn't move, she waited for him. She hugged him fiercely at his return.

The white-green light flashed again, his human appearance restored. He took Ro in his arms and he jumped down to the ground.

All the people looked at him, some of them thanked him, but he was so shy, he answered with an embarrassed smile, even avoiding their eyes.

We all sat on the bank. Those who were with friends or relatives hugged each other, trying to bring a little bit warmth. It was summer indeed, but it was nighttime and after the cold water of the river, the night wind chilled us to the bone.

I knew the police had cameras all over the magway, so help and ambulances would come soon.

But in contrast to all of the other people around, somehow Zee and Ro weren't inclined to wait, although Ro was totally wet as well. It was as if they wanted to be sure, once again, that everything was all right and then leave. But why? And if they wanted to leave, why had they stopped?

They were in front of the mother with the baby. As all of the people here, the woman tried to warm her child, holding it close, but her clothes were wet, the baby's clothes were wet, and the baby was crying.

Zee and Ro threw glances to each other again, as they had so many times this evening. I just liked the way they exchanged glances – a sign of deep attachment and perfect harmony.

Zee sat beside the woman. Ro did the same.

He looked openly straight to woman's eyes. "I have an inner source of heat that can warm your baby till someone comes to help you."

The woman said nothing. She nodded, doing what she had done a couple of minutes ago - she handed her baby to Zee. He dropped down his human appearance for the second time. Something like two panels opened in the middle of his metal chest and some yellow-orange light began radiating a tender heat.

I was so close to him that I sensed his inner heat as some gentle warm breeze. Zee carefully took the baby in his arms. The little one stopped crying, sensing the comforting warmth. The mother came closer, looking with a thankful smile at Zee, then slowly she began to caress her child on the head.

Some minutes later the baby calmly slept in Zee's silver arms.

If I was completely captivated by Zee's human appearance, his robot form attracted me even more.

I was thankful Zee was too busy with the baby. He didn't pay attention to me. Ro stared up, above the rocks, where the magway was, so she didn't pay attention to me …

And I was able to scrutinize Zee.

His silver body was as some knight's armor.

But the most amazing things were his hands and fingers. They were so beautiful! Despite the fact that they were metal and strong, they had the elegant line of the long fingers of an intelligent, artistic human. He held the baby so carefully, so gently, as if his hands were human.

What he thought right now, holding a human child in his hands?

And why his cat-shaped white eyes were so sad now? Yes, there were sad, they had changed their position and now they were somehow turned down, betraying a feeling of intense sadness.

No matter how astonished my mind was that the tough guy I liked was actually a robot, my heart envied this blonde girl even more. There was something irresistible in the handsomeness of his human appearance and the way he was as cool as a robot. He wasn't a half human and a half robot, he was much more human than a robot despite his metal body. And he definitely behaved like a real person, he loved and that was unbelievable and so charming, but…why he had become so sad? What he was thinking now?

I wished to tell him something, something good and optimistic, I wished to help him, but I didn't know what to say…

Zee lifted his head to the magway. Apparently he had heard a noise we weren't able to hear. A noise whose meaning Ro knew, as she approached him.

He cautiously returned the baby to its mother, immediately closing his chest. He restored his handsome black-haired, blue-eyed individual appearance, he took Ro by the hand, and they were about to vanish.

"Wait!" I ran after them and they stopped, a little bit surprised. "Where do you going? The help is here!"

"Yes, but we really have to go," said Ro somehow nervously.

"But you're wet and cold like all of us!" I insisted.

"He'll take care of me," she said with conviction.

"But the police have to know that he saved us!" I didn't give up.

"I'm sure the police already know. And that's why we have to go," Zee said.

That sounded too contradictory to me and I shook my head as a sign that I still didn't get it. Zee and Ro exchanged glances and obviously agreed that they could trust me. Ro said quickly, "The national security is after us. They don't believe Zee is peaceful; they think he's a threat and they want to catch him for reprogramming. And they think I'm his accomplice."

"You can hide in my grandmother's house! I'm sure she'll be glad to help!" I said.

"Thank you, but we are trying not to involve other people," Zee answered politely. "But we really appreciate your good will to help us."

"Then promise you'll come to visit one day!"

"Oh, one day… yes, one day when we get his freedom," nodded Ro.

"Or if you need help! Please promise you'll call me if you need help!"

"It will be dangerous for you to…" Zee tried to avoid my offer.

"Promise you'll call me if you need help!" I repeated.

"We promise!" he smiled.

"But… all of my stuff is in the bus; I can't write you my address…"

"Just tell us, he'll remember," Ro assured me.

I told them my grandmother's address and I looked up at Zee. "You saved our lives. You're a real hero! And you're amazing human-robot!" But Ro made a strange expression and I asked, "What? Did I say something wrong?"

"Oh, no…" Ro looked confused, "Just…you're the first one who called him 'human-robot' and…it's true, he's really as much human as synthoid!"

"I'm glad you like it," I said, opening my arms for a hug.

Zee smiled again and he gently hugged me.

As I expected, his hug was as comfortable, soft and firm as his hands…

Ro hugged me too. Zee took her by the hand again, they said, 'Goodbye, Annie!' and hand in hand they ran toward the forest nearby.

Just in time. The strong light of a few hover cars illuminated the magway above us and even the bank of the river where we were.

Along with the police vehicles and the ambulances, there was a big NSA van that landed close. A team of agents jumped down, using some green devices to observe all the people around.

A tall agent about forty years old, with green glasses, probably their boss, said on a loud voice, "We know a synthoid has something to do with this incident. Any information is very important!"

"He saved our lives," said the woman with the baby.

The agent looked at her frowning, confident that she was wrong. He said even more sternly, "This synthoid is renegade and a threat. He travels with a girl, his accomplice. Where did they go?"

"That way," answered the mother of the baby, pointing at the opposite side of where Zee and Ro headed.

"Yes, they ran that way," I nodded, confirming her words.

I wasn't the only one who had seen exactly where Zee and Ro had disappeared. But not one of the people said the truth to the agents, no matter that they didn't know the real reason why Zee and Ro had to escape the NSA. Some of the people repeated my words, some of them just nodded; confirming in silence the same, but no one betrayed them. No one.

"Move!" commanded the tall agent with the green glasses. A few seconds later the NSA's van took off in the fake direction.

One day the NSA would know the truth about Zee.

One day the world would understand know the truth about Zee.

The truth about the hero, the human-robot, who saved our lives.

The end

A/N This story is based on a real event. Sadly in the reality everything didn't end so happily. But if Zee was there, I'm sure it should have been different.

Please review!


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